WHAT A FEET

Callum’s footwork lights up Championship, but he is firmly No.2 at home

CALLUM O’HARE would be the most successful member of his family... under normal circumstances.

It’s difficult enough becoming a professonal footballer – let alone to be a 23-year-old with a growing reputation at an upwardly mobile Championship club.

The former Aston Villa trainee is catching the eye of potential suitors at Coventry City, having made the decision to leave Villa Park and the Premier League behind. Now he’s coming

good – and the future looks rosy.

But just in case the elder of the two O’hare siblings thinks he’s top dog, his little sister Alliyah can bring him back down to earth – and with a bump, too.

For the 18-year-old is the six-time World Irish Dancing Champion. Yes, she’s carried off the globe a staggering six occasions.

And however hot Callum may think he is as a footballer, it’s nothing compared to his sister.

Parking sibling rivalry to one side, he said: “Alliyah is the best. She’s been going to dancing almost as soon as she could walk. She was really young – and then she started winning competitions – and just didn’t stop.

Dedicated

“She’s dedicated to it. Really dedicated. She trains every day. She has a little room at my mum and dad’s house where she practises.

“She’s now at the stage where she’s been all over the world dancing. And, obviously, we’re very proud of her because she’s clearly doing something right, isn’t she?

“Alliyah has now started to be paid for her talent. She’s been in Riverdance-type shows and I think she wants to make a full-time career out of it.

“She’s worked really hard. I hope it pays off – she deserves it.”

O’hare the elder is making waves in his own chosen field after his decision to quit Villa after going to Coventry on loan. He helped the Sky Blues into the Championship and was then offered a permanent deal as his contract ran down.

And O’hare has no regrets. He said: “I was on loan and I really enjoyed it. I felt like I’d given Villa enough time – and they’d have been properly on to me if they really wanted me to stay – so my mind was

made up before they called about my contract.

“We’d just won League One with Coventry and I was really enjoying it. So I knew what I wanted to do.

“It’s a great platform. The coaching is unbelievable. There’s no doubt in my mind that I’ve improved as a player since going there.

“I’m learning every day and that’s what you want.”

The first campaign back in the second tier was sticky. But Coventry were playing their home

matches at nearby St Andrew’s yet managed to survive comfortably.

O’hare, whose style is uncannily similar to Jack Grealish (left), said: “Every match day felt like an away day – although we did well at St Andrew’s – but there’s no place like home if you are a Coventry fan.

Atmosphere

“Since we’ve been back, the atmosphere has been superb. We feel like there’s some real positive momentum at the club.

“In the past four years, the club has gone from League Two to the Championship and now we are pushing on even more – we’re definitely going in the right way.

“We finished 15th last season. But it was our first season back in the Championship. We dominated quite a few games but didn’t make it count.

“But we’re starting to pick up results now that maybe we wouldn’t have done a year ago.

“The aim is to push on and see where it takes us.”